Should we have expected anything other than more World Cup woe?

Whether it be on penalties as it so often has been, or listlessly surrendering to a younger, slicker neighbour as happened in South Africa earlier this year, tears of anguish flow every four years from the men and women who care so deeply about the Three Lions.

Defeat yesterday was of another kind, equally as galling, and just as humiliating as that disembowelling by Germany.

For where England were clearly second-best on that gorgeous summer's day in Bloemfontein, yesterday in the snow of Zurich, they were clearly the best.

Which makes the manner of the defeat so difficult to swallow.

England presented the outstanding bid to FIFA's 22-man executive committee in the Swiss capital yesterday.

Formed on the basis of a solid infrastracture, iconic stadiums and the best economic report, England 2018 pointed to the ideals and romance of what football can give to a nation and to the world, while Spain/Portugal fumbled their way through and Russia offered politics.

England rolled out the heavyweights: the Prime Minister, the future King, the footballing idol and a young man who stood for the bid's legacy to convince FIFA that all the boxes were ticked in the race to host the World Cup in eight years.

What David Cameron, Prince William, David Beckham and Eddie Afekafe could not know, however, was despite their emotional, uplifting appeal on the stage yesterday morning – which saw England move from second favourites to favourites in the eyes of the bookmakers – minds had already been made up.

No matter how much England spent on this bid – 15m is the estimate – no matter who they wheeled out to present it, no matter how far they travelled to court votes (remember that friendly in Trinidad to impress Jack Warner?), they were never going to win.

Investigative reporting from the British media may be an easy stick with which to beat England 2018, but were FIFA ever willing to give a World Cup inside a footballing frontier that had long since been conquered?

Was there any point in the FA investing so much time and effort to produce the best bid when Russia and Qatar offered the one thing England could never match – a lasting legacy?

Certainly not when there are personal epitaphs for Sepp Blatter and his FIFA cohorts to build. When there is more money to be milked from the emerging east and middle east.

Blatter dragged out the announcement on stage yesterday afternoon, a metaphor for the entire bidding process that has consumed three years for the English bid team.

Beckham, one of England's lobbying Three Lions, was crestfallen.

"When you put so much work into something and you don't get anything from it, then it is crushing," said the England midfielder.

"A lot of people have done a lot of hard work and we deserve to host the World Cup. Let's hope we get it at some point.

"The way we presented our country was exceptional. I think we would have put on one of the best World Cups in history."

He was not alone in that belief, yet of the 22 men that mattered only two were ultimately convinced, one of which was Britain's FIFA vice-president Geoff Thompson.

"I'm not sure I would say we were humiliated," said Sports Minister Hugh Robertson.

"Everybody saw our presentation (yesterday morning) and it was widely praised as being the best one the FIFA ExCo received.

"At the moment I don't understand and the only possible explanation is the one given by Sepp Blatter when he announced the decision, which was wanting to take football to new frontiers.

"We now need to go away to understand why this happened."

Scrutiny may, and should, now focus on FIFA and the structure of the whole World Cup voting system – though more due to Qatar's 2022 win than Russia's – because this was a calamitous outcome for the public image of the game's world governing body.

Qatar prevailed against the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan yet of the nine bids presented over the last few days, Qatar's was the only one deemed to be high risk.

FIFA's technical report on the Qatari bid also pointed to a 'potential health risk' because of the heat, which reaches up to 106 degrees during the summer.

When asked his views on the United States' defeat by Qatar, President Barack Obama was unequivocal: "I think it was the wrong decision."

So why does a nation smaller in size than Yorkshire which has never even qualified for a World Cup, get to host the greatest football show on earth?

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore last night suggested that there is no point in countries such as England bidding if FIFA insist on going to new territories where barely one suitable stadium exists.

London's Mayor Boris Johnson went even further, with a withering assessment: "FIFA can't last in its current form."

Clearly, a change to the voting system is required.

Is it right that a tournament that is worth billions in revenue be decided by 22 men?

The system is clandestine when it should transparent. Warner carried three CONCACAF votes that he hinted would be headed England's way, yet England were the choice of only two men.

So who did Warner vote for? How was he swayed, and is it right that personalities and opinions sell a nation, rather than the cold hard facts laid bare in this country's bid.

So the chance to emulate the heroes of 1966 on home soil slips by once more, which for one local legend who experienced what a World Cup in England can do for the nation, is difficult to accept.

"I'm disappointed because I personally know what it meant to the country having experienced it in 1966, and I was only a part of the squad," said Norman Hunter, who was capped 28 times by England.

"So if we could have brought that to England in 2018 it would have been magnificent for the fans.

"I would have loved for it to come to Leeds United as well, for Leeds to have had the chance to host games.

"I've no idea why they have not given it to us. I don't think they like us, I don't think they like the Premier League.

"That's only my opinion. I might be a bit bitter at the moment but I think we have to do something extraordinary to get the World Cup.

"And really when you look back at how successful 1966 was, it's quite amazing that they haven't gone for us."

Blatter said not so long ago that 'England can put a World Cup on tomorrow'.

Just, it seems, not on his watch.

THEY SAID...

David Beckham England bid vice president

I'm obviously disappointed. Our bid team have done everything possible. We couldn't have got a better bid together.

We wish Qatar and Russia the very best.

They're two great countries and I'm sure they'll make Fifa very proud.

It's hard not to come away with the World Cup in 2018. Lots of congratulations to the team. A lot of hard work has been done.

Apologies that we couldn't bring the World Cup to our country because there's no better and more passionate fans in the world than in England.

It's just disappointing that we can't bring the World Cup to them in 2018.

Alan Shearer England bid ambassador

I was hoping that I might see a World Cup in my lifetime in England.

Everyone was very happy and very confident with the bid we put in. We couldn't have done any more. I'm a loss at what to say. If we haven't got it this time, when are we ever going to get it? I felt very confident with Prince William and the Prime Minister behind us.

Gary Lineker Part of England bid team

Fifa have always said they want to push the frontiers – I was surprised they went with two new countries but there were a lot of strong bids.

English football will carry on regardless. We're very strong in our country in terms of our league. It could have been a huge boost. It's a real shame we'll never get a chance to prove that.

Graham Taylor Former England manager

I ask the question 'what were we expecting?'. FIFA, for me, is full of people who say 'yes' to your face and 'no' behind your back. Their reputation has not changed.

We (England) have little or no influence; we are considered to be arrogant and know-alls and FIFA don't have to answer to anyone.

I'm surprised that we're surprised. This has been going on for years and we've been aware of a lot of things going on around the back.

Sir David Richards Chairman of Premier League

It is a real shame that the greatest nation in world football cannot host the World Cup. Why? I don't really know.

You can say the media, but there is always someone else, others to blame. But perhaps it's time for change, the way FIFA decide such important issues like this, the most important of them all. If anything good comes from it, it will be the call for change. Will the FA want to bid again in 2030? Who knows when we will get the World Cup back here, if at all.

Igor Shuvalov Russian Deputy Prime Minister

To have entrusted us with the World Cup for 2018....you will never regret it. Let us make history together.